Normally, when you play Pokemon Emerald, you play it on a Game Boy Advance system. If you don’t have a GBA, emulation on PC is the next way to go.
However, these games were meant to be enjoyed in a portable way. That’s why you have to know how to play Pokemon Emerald on Android devices.
That’s right, emulation isn’t just exclusive to PC now, since mobile devices and phones have gotten so technically advanced.
They can emulate old videogame consoles and systems like the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance.
These Android devices will not only run mobile games but can also run Pokemon Emerald when you follow these steps.
Other Guides to Check Out:
- Pokemon Emerald: The Best Team to Use
- How To Get EXP Share In Pokemon Emerald
- Pokemon Emerald Gym Leaders – Information & Guide
- 6 Must Use Pokemon Emerald Cheats
- Pokemon Emerald Cheats – Emerald Gameshark Codes for GBA
Table of Contents
What You Need to Play Pokemon Emerald on Android
1. Download the Pokemon Emerald ROM First
The first thing that you need to do is find and download the Pokemon Emerald ROM.
Note: Pokemoncoders do not give out rom files, sharing official GBA ROM files like Pokemon Emerald is illegal and considered piracy.
You can pretty much find a copy of Pokemon Emerald ROM from other sites. Just make sure that the site is safe and the file should be in a GBA format. If it is in a RAR or ZIP file, simply unzip it and the GBA ROM will be available.
Finally, these ROMs are free, so make sure that you don’t have to pay for them.
2. Download the GBA Emulator for Android
Downloading a GBA emulator for Android is a bit different from downloading an emulator for PC.
For PC, you just find the specific video game system emulator from the website and install it on your PC.
In the case of Android devices, it is easier but can be trickier.
For one, you don’t have to download from a website, since Google Playstore offers a variety of GBA emulators specifically developed for Android.
Important note: Do not install APK emulators on your Android device. Downloading APK files from other sources can lead to potential issues such as viruses. See our explanations here, 3 Reasons Why We Don’t Recommend Using APK Emulators for your Pokemon Gaming.
When you go to the Playstore, simply type the words “GBA EMULATOR” and you’ll have a list of results (image below). A lot of these emulators are free, but there are some that will cost a price.
That’s not a bad thing as long as the emulator you plan on buying is good. Take a look at reviews to see if the emulator is good or not. That way, you won’t end up wasting money when you make a purchase.
Download the GBA emulator, and it will already be installed on your Android device.
How to Play Pokemon Emerald On Your Emulator
These steps can be very easy once you have the Pokemon Emerald ROM and GBA emulator on your Android device.
STEP 1 – Launch the Emulator
Simply launch the GBA emulator that you have on your device.
STEP 2 – Choose the ROM
In this case, choose Pokemon Emerald from the files that are saved on your Android.
STEP 3 – You’re Done!
If there are no issues, Emerald will launch properly on your Android emulator.
Check out the features available on the emulator that you got, especially if you paid for it.
FAQs
Is emulation legal?
The answer to that is always in a gray area. Basically, laws are a bit unclear but the usual answer is that emulation is fine.
As long as you’re not selling ROMs, you’ll be safe. Selling emulators isn’t illegal because the usual problem lies with the ROMs. Game companies like Nintendo are very strict when it comes to that.
Just get the ROM and play it, don’t distribute it for a fee or even free.
What about those multi-system emulators?
They are fine as long as the multi-system emulator states that it can run GBA games, then that’s good. At the end of the day, the file that will be used to run is in the GBA file format.
There are a couple of these multi-system emulators available that can run GBA games as well as other systems like SNES, GBC, GB, and even PlayStation 1.
The performance may vary depending on the emulator you’re using.
In Closing
Those are the steps that you need to follow if you want to know how to play Pokemon Emerald on Android.
Playing on a mobile device like Android phones can be a treat. It is pretty much like playing on Game Boy Advance systems.
Whether you pay or not is up to you, but you should be aware that ads may spawn from free emulators.
These Android emulators contain features you can’t see in a GBA handheld console.
You can speed up the game, adjust your settings, use save states, use cheats, and even enable Bluetooth connection to your headphones or an actual controller.
